The present invention relates to a configuration and a test method of a wireless communication system.
Besides the conventional wire communication network, introduction of a wireless communication network (hereafter referred to as wireless communication system) using access terminals and wireless communication apparatuses is advancing. In the wireless communication system, CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) communication in which a signal of voice or the like is subject to code multiplexing with the spreading code to conduct communication is spread, besides the TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) communication in which a signal of voice or the like is subject to time division multiplexing to conduct communication. It has thus become possible to conduct communication with anyone anywhere anytime.
In order to further spread such a wireless communication system, it is necessary for the system provider not only to increase the number of wireless communication apparatuses for connecting access terminals (hereafter referred to as terminals) of increasing users (referred to as subscribers as well), but also to suitably conduct software addition or software update on already installed communication apparatuses such as wireless communication apparatuses and thereby improve/enhance contents of communication service provided by the communication system.
The wireless communication system conducting the hardware addition and software update of the communication apparatus as described above needs a test technique (maintenance technique) for confirming the normal performance of the wireless communication system having a new configuration each time hardware is added and software is updated in the communication apparatus, in order to secure the reliability, security and service providing capability (hereafter referred to as serviceability) of the system.
As a matter of course, a periodical diagnoses and maintenance including preventive maintenance become necessary to secure the reliability, security and serviceability, even at the time of ordinary operation other than the time of hardware addition or the software update. Therefore, various configurations and test methods of wireless communication systems have been proposed to secure the reliability, security and serviceability (see, for example, JP-A-2003-124866, JP-A-2002-271280 and JP-A-10-108244).